Natalie
I'm dying right now. Noah and I took Emma to a park. He is making sounds to make her eat her baby food.
But the thing that is making me crack up is Noah's disguise. He is pretty well-known and is wearing shades even though the skies are gray, and he is also wearing this ugly Stitch onesie to hide his body.
And I swear Noah wasn't made to wear Disney onesies—he looks cramped inside the blue fabric. It's hugging his body like a second skin, but at least he is adorable.
I can't take my eyes off Noah and the floppy Stitch ears are making it worse.
Noah is so gentle with Emma and winks at me now and then to give me butterflies. His joking nature and those mischievous eyes got me melting like a cone of ice cream under the blazing sun.
"What's the matter?" Noah asks me when he catches me staring. "Have you never seen an alien before?"
I snort at him. "You should wear onesies more often."
"Really?" He looks hopeful.
I laugh again. "Lexie would leave you, and your womanizer life would be but a memory."
"I'm not a womanizer," Noah frowns, feeding Emma before looking at me again. His expression is curious and challenging. "But you wouldn't mind if I wore a onesie every day?"
"If we were together, you mean?"
"Yeah?"
His question surprises me, and I clear my throat. "You can wear whatever you want. It won't matter to me as long as it makes you happy, but if you wore that Stitch onesie to our wedding, I would murder you."
Noah laughs. "Understandable," Emma tries to hug him, and he lifts her up into his arms. My insides melt whenever they cuddle; Noah kisses Emma's cheek and smiles into her skin. "Emma loves my Stitch onesie."
My lips can't contain my laughter. "Give it a few years, and Emma will find you embarrassing if you wear that thing."
Noah appears upset. "You think so? Because I was planning on waltzing into her room wearing this thing when her friends are at our home. I would serve them cinnamon rolls and juice."
I shake my head, smiling so hard that it hurts. "Gosh, our daughter will hate you when she brings home her first guy."
Noah's nostrils flare. "As in a boyfriend?" His eye is twitching, hinting at his inner displeasure. "Because Emma isn't dating anyone until she has turned at least sixty. And even that is EARLY in my eyes. Perhaps I keep her single..."
"Stop... Sixty... What the hell..." I'm shaking in my seat. Noah looks dead-serious, and that's what got me howling. "You're killing me!"
"What?" Noah questions. Emma is sucking on her thumb, totally unaware that her dad is crazy. "Nobody will date my daughter without my approval, and I'm a picky dad. Emma's boyfriend better not be a jock, or even worse—a TikaToker!"
I snort again. "You use TikaTok every day!"
Noah blows air through his nose like a bull. "Exactly, and I wouldn't let Emma date a guy like me unless he was serious about the girl. Because of my background, I know my kind is terrible."
"You're not terrible."
Noah smiles. "Well, I'm glad you think so."
I smile and blush when I realize something.
I'm having way too much fun with Noah. It didn't even hit me when we joked about the future, but we talked like we would live under the same roof. And oddly enough, it felt natural.
Noah suddenly gets up from his seat. His arms tighten around Emma, and he gives me a nervous smile. "Those girls over there have been looking at us and giggled for the past ten minutes. I might be overreacting, but it's making me uncomfortable."
I discreetly glance in that direction. There is a trio of girls taking pictures of Noah with Emma, and I swallow thickly. Ever since Noah got that NFL offer, his fanbase has grown.
Noah is on the TV a lot and told me over breakfast that some people downright frighten him. People have no respect for his private life, and I realize the danger.
Billionaire and football player?
Noah is a walking target for the paparazzi.
I wet my lips. "Let's get to the car."
"Good idea," Noah waves at a man sitting further down the park. It's his bodyguard. "I'm just signaling to North that we are leaving. He should understand that this signal means potential danger."
"And what does that entail?" I ask.
Noah gets Emma inside the stroller. I kick the brakes, and then we are on our merry way.
"It means that North will follow us in his car like a shadow," Noah hands me a gentle smile. "Don't worry, though. He will be gone once he has ensured that we are safely at our location."
I speed up my pace when I notice Noah is walking faster. My voice is low when I speak. "I take it we aren't headed to Frank and Carmen's apartment right now?"
"We are still leaving Emma with them," Noah gives me a guilty grin, which tells me he hasn't told me everything. "Whenever I leave Emma there, I pay North to stay over. And when he isn't available, I have another one of my guys stay with them."
My eyes widen. "Oh..."
"You're not angry at me, right?" Noah gives me an insecure glance to read my face. He seems so worried.
"For keeping our daughter safe?" I blink repeatedly. "No, I'm not mad, but it's a lot to take in. Honestly, the thought of your fans wanting to see Emma freaks me out the most."
"Yeah," Noah agrees. "I don't think they would, but I would rather be safe than sorry since these fans are so interested in me. The other football players don't suffer like this."
"It must be because you're a billionaire. I can only imagine the thirsty fans wanting to get some of that."
Noah snorts while pushing the stroller. "Was that a hint of jealousy coming from Miss Gracen?"
"Jealousy?" I blush because Noah is right. I'm so jealous that I'm close to boiling. And I find it funny and sad since I have no reason to feel that emotion. Noah isn't my boyfriend. "I'm not jealous at all."
Noah snickers. "Right."
I turn his way. "I'm not!"
He simply shows his teeth in a smile, and then we continue walking while North keeps a strict eye on us. Noah opens the car door and secures Emma while North studies us from his black SUV.
I grimace. "Your bodyguard could pass for a serial killer."
Noah closes the door behind him. "North?" He glances at his bodyguard and gives me a wicked smile. "He has killed people before."
My jaw slacks to the ground. "What?!"
Noah chuckles and opens the front door. "Are you getting inside today or tomorrow, Duchess?"
I swallow thickly and walk over to the door. North is still glaring at us, making goosebumps prickle over my skin. Noah's words just made North a billion times scarier.